My Boys
by Batasyl
Summary: Life sometimes doesn't end up the way we wanted it to, especially if there are good looking boys involved! Doesn't matter if they are 10 or 30, Boys will be Boys!
1. Chapter 1

**Okay, I wasn't really planning on posting this story yet but what the hey :)**

 **I'm a die hard RUCAS fan and I feel like there's not enough fanfic about them so let me help balance it out a bit. Don't hate me people :)**

 **Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm an eccentric writer - I write rom-com** **then next minute I write supernatural romance then back to rom-com, what can I say? Nah, I just love to write so if you guys have a story idea let me know and I might just write it for you...Please check out my other story _Let Me In_ because I can tell you guys, it's different but I guarantee you that you'll love it and if you don't then I owe you a sequel of what ever previous story I wrote...you guys get to choose. If I win...you never know...you just might get a full RUCAS novel in one shot!**

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Riley Matthews was being watched.

She could _feel_ it.

Closing her laptop, Riley rose to her feet just as a rock arched gracefully over a hedge of wild roses and landed with an impressive splash directly in the center of her fishpond, spraying her with water from head to toe.

Her shriek launched a flock of purple finches into the trees.

Two identical faces poked cautiously around the hedge, and Riley blinked. No, she wasn't hallucinating. Two golden heads. Two pairs of wide emerald eyes. The only significant difference between them she could see was that one of the boys sported a Band–Aid above his left eyebrow.

"Where did you come from?" Riley demanded.

The boys exchanged uncomfortable looks. "She's old. You'd think she'd know that by now," the one with the bandage muttered.

Riley felt the strangest urge to laugh, but she didn't. She'd moved into the neighborhood six months ago and knew no young children lived in the vicinity. The row of Victorian homes on Rose Street, as quaint and pretty as charms on a bracelet, were occupied by people who didn't care about whirlpool baths, oversize garages and how close they were to the school and the hospital. _Those_ people built new homes in the subdivision cropping up on the outskirts of town. It was one of the main reasons Riley had chosen _this_ neighborhood. The other reason was that she'd immediately fallen in love with the turn–of–the–century carriage house that Emily Friar, her elderly landlady, had decided to rent out.

"Where do you _live?_ " Riley emphasized the last word so there was no mistaking her meaning this time.

The boy with the Band–Aid shrugged. "Here."

Riley took a deep breath. _Patience._ "That isn't true."

"We do, too." Identical scowls puckered their foreheads. Maybe she hadn't sounded as patient as she thought she had.

" _I live_ here—" She started to correct them, but the scowls suddenly disappeared and the boys charged forward. Riley braced herself for an attack, but they streaked past her.

"Is that your dog?"

Riley shot a panicked look over her shoulder and saw Marley, her yellow Labrador retriever, lumbering toward them.

"Can we play with her?"

"What's her name?"

"Her name is Marley," Riley said distractedly. "And no, she doesn't play. She's too old."

Three pairs of eyes focused on her in disappointment. Riley clapped her hands and Marley reluctantly padded over and sat down beside her. But her tail continued to thump out a cheerful message to the boys in canine Morse code.

"Now." Riley winced. She sounded more severe than patient. But she had a deadline to meet and five precious minutes had already been spent on the pint–sized criminals who'd launched a missile into her pond. "What are your names?"

"James." The one without the Band–Aid inched closer to Marley and extended his hand. His extremely _grubby_ hand.

"Jake." The other boy lifted his chin in a way that clearly told Riley she wouldn't get any more information out of him.

"And you came from—" _Scratch that._ "Why did you say you lived _here?_ "

"'Cause we do." Jake's eyes narrowed. "We live with our Aunt Emily."

"She's our _great_ aunt." Taking advantage of Riley's shocked silence, Jake flopped down and wrapped his arms around Marley's neck. Marley looked a little self–conscious, but gave his cheek a friendly swipe with her tongue anyway.

It couldn't be true. Emily wouldn't—couldn't— _do_ this to her. She knew about Riley's looming deadline. She knew she needed peace and quiet. And two boys lobbing rocks into her pond certainly didn't qualify for that!

"Jake? James?" A muffled but definitely masculine voice penetrated the hedge. "Where are you guys?"

Riley didn't know much about children, but guessed the sudden tension in the boys' shoulders meant they were about to flee. She clamped one hand onto each shaggy head just as a man stepped into view.

It took Riley only a split second to match his features—his grown–up, drop–dead _gorgeous_ features—to those of the boys wriggling in her grasp. She steeled herself not to return the stranger's warm smile as their eyes met across the pond.

She arched a brow at him. "I believe these belong to you."

Several thoughts collided in Lucas Friar's head.

Riley Matthews didn't look a bit like the quiet, reclusive children's book author his aunt Emily had described. For some reason, he'd expected someone much older. And she was beautiful, her glossy chocolate hair pulled back in a neat twist that accentuated classic features. Features enhanced by a pair of stunning brown eyes. She didn't look like the carefree, artsy type, either. She wore a conservative white blouse and knee–length floral skirt…spattered with murky brown water spots.

The spots could only mean one thing. She'd been formally introduced to the twins.

Lucas glanced at his sons, who stood frozen in Riley's grip. As usual, Jake's eyes sparkled with defiance—a sure sign he'd been the ring leader of this particular misadventure—while James dipped his head and refused to look Lucas in the eye. Guilty. No doubt about it.

He knew he needed to smooth things over. Fast. "You must be Riley Matthews. I'm Lucas—"

"Your…boys…threw a rock into my pond—" Riley cut the introductions short as she released them.

The twins bolted to safety and attached themselves to Lucas' leg like barnacles.

"We didn't throw it." Jake dared to contradict the woman now that he was beyond her reach. "We _catapulted_ it. I made this really cool catapult—"

" _Be that as it may._ " Riley's voice could have kept a gallon of milk cold for a week. "I have fish in the pond and the rock could have—"

"Fish? Like trout?"

"I have a fishing pole. Can I get it?"

"Dad cooks them in butter with their heads still on—"

Lucas saw the color drain out of Riley's face and held up his hand to prevent Jake from launching into a detailed description of how Lucas cleaned a fish. The boys could be a little overwhelming even to someone used to the way they spoke in high–definition surround sound. Maybe moving in with Aunt Emily while their new house was being renovated hadn't been such a good idea. It was going to be a challenge to keep his active sons out of trouble. And, from the looks of it, away from the neighbor they'd be sharing a yard with.

"You can't fish for them. They're koi, not trout," he said. Riley looked confused at the sudden change in topics.

 _Welcome to my world,_ Lucas thought wryly. If it wasn't for his daily conversations with God and frequent requests for strength and patience, Lucas knew he wouldn't stand a chance.

"So?" Jake's frown clearly said a fish was a fish.

" _So_ they're like…pets," Riley explained.

Identical faces wearing identical expressions of shock tipped toward Lucas. And both questioned their new neighbor's sanity.

Riley's eyes accused _him_ of being responsible for this gap in his sons' education. "They have names. And they swim to the edge of the pond and they eat out of my hand."

"No way." Jake said under his breath.

Lucas hoped she hadn't heard him. At the ripe old age of seven, Jake was starting to develop an edge. This was one of the reasons Lucas had decided to leave Texas and move the boys to New Jersey. Not that New Jersey was without problems, but it was still a smaller and better place than Austin.

"If you'll excuse me, I have to change my clothes and get back to work," Riley's expression communicated exactly how she felt about the interruption to her day. And the cause of it.

"Boys." Lucas' soft prompt let his sons know he expected them to apologize.

"We didn't mean to get you wet," James said quickly.

"Yeah. Sorry," Jake muttered. "But it _was_ a cool catapult."

For a moment, Lucas thought he saw a smile tip the corners of Riley Matthews' lips. But then her eyes met his over the twins' heads and the message in their cool brown depths didn't exactly say welcome to the neighborhood. More like private. Keep out. No trespassing.

Lucas buried a sigh.

Strike one against the Friar family.

Riley pivoted sharply, and Marley, with an apologetic look at the boys, fell into step beside her as she walked back to the house.

She glanced at her watch. Now she'd have to take time to throw her clothes in the wash and find something else to wear. Thanks to her laptop, the spare bedroom or one of the comfortable chairs in the flower garden served as her office, but dressing in business casual put her in "work" mode and helped her focus on her daily page goal.

"She's crabby." The childish declaration, delivered by the boy named Jake, came out louder than his apology.

Riley sucked in a breath.

Well, how did they expect her to respond when they launched a rock into her fishpond? It could have ended up in her lap. She blamed their father. Lucas. If he kept a closer eye on his boys, maybe they would have gotten off to a better start—

 _Start?_

Riley caught herself. There was no _start._ She had to talk to Emily and find out what was going on.

A terrifying thought whipped through her mind. Emily was close to seventy. Had she sold the house to her nephew? Was Lucas going to be her landlord? His son had sounded quite emphatic when he told her that they _lived_ there. If they were just visiting for a day—or a weekend—wouldn't he have said so?

And if the little hooligans built working catapults, who knew what other creative inventions they could create that had the potential to disrupt her life?

"I like her dog." James' voice—a clear soprano—carried across the yard.

Riley looked down at Marley. "At least _you_ scored some points."

Marley grinned.

Just as Riley got to the door, a large hand tinted brown from the sun, reached around her and opened it. Startled, she spun and found herself looking directly into Lucas' eyes.

From the expression on his face, he knew she'd heard his sons' comments. Riley's face burned. She told herself she didn't care if they thought she was crabby; maybe they'd keep their distance. And she'd get to finish her manuscript.

"I just noticed you're carrying a laptop. It didn't get wet, did it?" Lucas glanced down at the computer tucked under her arm. He was probably worried he'd have to replace it.

"I closed it…right before the geyser blew."

Lucas' lips twitched. "I can tell you're a writer.

Riley looked at him suspiciously. Why? Because of the computer? Or because he thought she was exaggerating? She decided she didn't want to know. If she didn't make her goal today, she'd have to skip lunch.

"It's fine. Thank you for your concern…" Her voice sputtered and died.

Lucas was staring at her lips.

Riley couldn't remember the last time a man had stared at her lips. _Ah, possibly never?_ She tried to move, but Marley wedged her wide doggy frame between Riley and the wall. Which had to be the reason Riley suddenly had trouble breathing.

"I…ah…" _Need some air._ That was it. She needed air.

Lucas' hand lifted and his thumb brushed the curve between her lower lip and her chin.

Riley choked.

Lucas reacted as if Marley had bit him in the ankle. "Ah, you had some…dirt…there." He backed away. Quickly. "Habit. You know. The boys hate it when I do that. Sorry."

He made a quick getaway. Riley escaped into the house and sagged against the wall.

Maybe she'd been foolish to think that Lucas Friar's _sons_ were the ones who were going to turn her life upside down!


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Lucas couldn't believe he'd brushed a smudge of dirt off Riley Matthews' chin. Her prickly personality didn't exactly invite a person to get up close and personal.

One more black mark against him on their new neighbor's list—somehow, Lucas _knew_ she had a list. She reminded him of someone else who'd been a slave to their day planner. Someone else who'd become so focused on a goal that everything else faded away.

"Dad?" James darted up to him, Jake close behind. "Do you think she'd let me take Marley for a walk?"

Lucas hated to crush James' hopes, but the phrase "when pigs fly" seemed to be the most appropriate answer to that question. "I think we need to talk about it."

"That means no," Jake predicted.

Lucas shot his older–by–three–minutes son a meaningful look. Jake never minded crushing James' hopes. In his mind, that was what brothers were for. "It doesn't mean no. It means we have to set some guidelines."

Jake scowled. "Rules."

"We already have to floss our teeth every day." James looked pained. "And make our beds."

"Yeah, I know I ask a lot of you guys," Lucas said dryly, "but hear me out. I'm not sure we made a very good impression on Miss Matthews."

"She didn't make a good impression on me, either," Jake mumbled.

Lucas grabbed him in a headlock and ruffled his hair. "You remember what we've been talking about during campfire time."

James heaved a sigh. "Love your neighbor."

"But that was easy when we lived next to Mike and Lottie," Jake said, referring to the elderly couple who'd been their neighbors in Austin. "Lottie made cookies, and Mike watched football with us."

"God didn't tell us to love our neighbor only if they do nice things. Or if they're nice people. It _starts_ with us, guys. All you have to do is watch for opportunities."

"Like what?" James asked.

"Maybe giving her some time to adjust to having new neighbors." _Who catapult rocks into her fishpond._ "And respecting her privacy."

"He wants us to leave her alone," Jake translated.

James scuffed a furrow in the grass with his toe. "Okay."

Lucas detected their reluctance, but decided not to push the issue. In spite of their boundless energy, mixed with a healthy dose of curiosity, he trusted the boys to follow the rules.

Aunt Emily waved to them from the porch. "Your contractor just called, Lucas. He said there's a problem with the electrician."

"Thanks, Em. We'll take a drive over there." A cloud of his aunt's rose–scented perfume surrounded Lucas as he reached the bottom step. Everything in the house was either pink or smelled like Emily's favorite flower. That morning, Jake had refused to take a shower with soap shaped like roses.

Lucas loved his father's sister, though. And he knew the boys would, too. As a child, Lucas had spent a lot of time at her house, but after he'd left for college and then settled in Austin, he hadn't kept in close contact with her. But she'd faithfully sent birthday cards and Christmas letters. Then, after Nicole died, Emily's frequent phone calls and encouraging notes had helped him through the worst days. He was glad his boys would have the chance to get to know her.

"Did you get acquainted with Riley?" Emily asked.

Something in her way–too–innocent tone made warning bells go off in Lucas' head. Emily wouldn't be trying to play matchmaker. Not between him and Riley Matthews. Would she?

"She is such a gifted young woman. And pretty, too. Don't you think so?"

Lucas stifled a groan.

On second thought, maybe she would.

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"I'm sure I mentioned Lucas and the boys were moving in for a few weeks," Emily frowned as she dropped a sugar cube into a delicate teacup and handed it to Riley.

Riley was sure she hadn't. That in itself was odd. Not only was Emily in good physical health, she was also as sharp as the proverbial tack. Riley had never witnessed any lapses in her landlady's memory. Until now.

The minute Riley saw the black pickup truck ease out of the driveway, she'd made her way across the yard to Emily's house, maneuvering through a veritable minefield of sports equipment and catapult–making tools, to politely inquire about her new neighbors.

"It's just the three of them now." The lines mapping Emily's face deepened. "Nicole, Lucas' wife, died in a car accident several years ago. Such a loss—and those sweet little boys only four years old at the time. I have to tell you, it was an answer to prayer when Lucas called and told me they were moving here. "

Riley hadn't known. She may have rented the carriage house from Emily Friar, but she'd been careful to keep her distance. On purpose. They exchanged friendly waves if their paths crossed in the gardens or on their way to the mailbox. On the rare occasion Riley accepted Emily's invitation to join her for a cup of tea, she deliberately kept the conversation from becoming too personal.

Riley tamped down the rush of compassion that welled up inside her at the thought of Lucas raising his sons alone, and reminded herself that it was his job to keep his children under control. She'd signed a yearlong lease with Emily because she needed a place to work. Without distractions. If she'd known two active little boys hung upside down from the branches of Emily's family tree, she might have looked for another place to live.

"Lucas bought a place just outside of town," Emily chatted on, assuming Riley would be interested in his plans—and she was—but not for the reason Emily thought! "The farmhouse needs some work, but the contractor promised Lucas it would be finished by mid–July."

Riley tried to hide her relief. A few weeks. She could survive a few weeks. True, her manuscript was due close to the same time, but Emily knew Riley didn't like to be interrupted. Even though Lucas Friar might be a little on the lackadaisical side when it came to keeping the boys out of trouble, Emily would be there as a buffer.

"The timing is perfect." Emily lifted a delicate shortbread that Riley baked earlier. "They'll have the whole house to themselves while I'm in New York City."

Riley choked. "New York City! You're going… _away?_ "

"Oh, dear." Riley blinked. "Did I forget to mention that, too?"

"Yes." Riley forced the word out through gritted teeth.

Emily had jumped shipped. How…convenient.

Riley gnawed on her lower lip. For a multitude of reasons, she hadn't been able to write a word since the fishpond incident that morning. Marley, ordinarily content to laze the day away in a patch of sunlight, had paced the living room floor and whined at the door. And the noises coming from the other side of the hedge—the dull thud of a hammer, the scrape of a saw and the cheerful serenade of someone _whistling_ —only broke Riley's concentration and not the case of writer's block she'd been suffering from for the past few days.

Riley took a deep breath. "When are you leaving?"

"Day after tomorrow. My friend Mary has been after me for years to go to the Big Apple with her. I finally gave in."

Riley's eyes narrowed. _What perfect timing._

Emily chuckled. "But don't worry. If you need help with anything, let Lucas know. I'm sure you'll be good friends by the time I get home."

 _I don't want a friend,_ Riley wanted to argue. Instead she scraped together her good manners and managed a smile as she rose to leave. Before Lucas and his sons returned. "Enjoy your trip."

She'd simply barricade herself in the house for the next two weeks. She wouldn't have to deal with little boys. Or catapults. Or damaged clothing.

Or the warmth in Lucas Friar's smile.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Riley scanned the crowd, then spotted Maya Hart, her best friend since grade school, waving at her. Maya stood and gave her a hug. "Hi, peaches. Somebody's not happy," Maya said with a smug grin as Riley sat down.

Ignoring the comment, Riley made a show of studying the menu she'd been familiar with for months.

"Scratch that…somebody's really unhappy," her friend relentlessly continued. "Want to talk about it?"

"It's nothing."

"You sure? Cause it looks like it's something."

"Maya…"

"OMG! You met a guy!"

"And two boys."

"What? Did you just say two boys?"

Riley nodded, relieved from further discussion of the uncomfortable topic by the arrival of the waitress.

But if she thought she'd sidestepped the issue, she was mistaken. She'd almost finished her omelet when Maya started questioning her. "What do you mean you met two boys? Where? How?"

"Emily's nephew and his twin boys are temporarily staying with her," Riley replied. "I got introduced to them via one of the boys' experiments."

"Was it a cool experiment?" Maya joked, trying to keep the conversation light, even as she experienced a sense of foreboding.

"It was a catapult," Riley said. "They _catapulted_ a rock into the pond and splashed murky water all over me."

"So what did you do?"

"Nothing. Their father came and they apologized."

"Okay," Maya nod encouragingly for Riley to continue.

"That's it."

"You sure?" Maya was the picture of innocence.

"Yes. What else could there be?"

Maya stared at Riley, silently thanking the boys that brought back emotion to her friend. It's been a while since she saw Riley show any kind of real emotion, even though it's irritation at the moment. It's a start. Maya beamed and said, "It's good that you have more friends now!"

Riley felt her cheeks redden. "Who says anything about friends?" She glanced around helplessly. "I don't need more friends. I already have you."

"Oh, peaches." Maya squeezed her hand. "Of course you have me, but it's nice to have other friends that live close by. We only get to see each other every other weekend. For way too long, you've been like a she-bear hibernating in your cave. But it's spring now. Come out. Smell the fresh pine. Play in the river. Take a risk."

Riley slumped back in her chair, studying the warm affection in the eyes of her friend. Then, unbidden, came the disturbing image of a man. A handsome man…with a big heart. A man she'd spent more than a little time thinking about.

Her thoughts were interrupted by Maya's soft voice. "Riles, just open up a bit. It's time."

Riley's chest tightened, and against all reason, she said, "Okay. Fine. I will try to be nicer. But that's all. Understood?"

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Lucas looked down from the roof, where he was fixing some loose shingles for his Aunt Emily, and saw Riley crossing the yard toward the house.

For the fourth time in the past two days.

Usually the twins were slinking along behind her, their chins practically scraping the grass.

This time she was alone, but Lucas still doubted it was a social call.

 _Okay, Lord, I need some wisdom. Or else double the size of the hedge between our houses._ Not that it would prevent the twins from finding a way around it. No matter how busy he tried to keep the boys, they managed to slip away the second his back was turned. And for some reason, Riley's tiny square of yard, neatly hemmed in by rose bushes, acted like a magnetic field to Jake and James.

He sighed, wondering what they'd done this time. The misdemeanors kept piling up.

Monday she'd caught Jake and James feeding their grilled cheese sandwiches to her koi.

The day before, she'd informed him the boys were building _something_ in the maple tree overlooking her patio. Which explained why his hammer and a box of nails had mysteriously disappeared.

Lucas usually took the twins on a daily outing to check the progress on their new home, but the landscaping team had decided to reseed the entire yard, and they'd made it clear they didn't want little footprints decorating their work.

Riley reached the ladder and looked up. The sunlight picked out threads of mahogany in the glossy curtain of hair framing her face and the bottle brown eyes held a hint of panic.

What now? The last time he'd checked on Jake and James, they'd been engrossed in a video game he'd rented for them that morning.

Lucas hooked the hammer in the loop on his tool belt and made his way down the ladder.

"I…Marley is missing. Have you seen her? I let her out a little while ago and now I can't find her."

Lucas heard the undercurrent of worry in her voice. One of the things he'd quickly figured out about Riley was that she and her dog were inseparable. In fact, judging from the lack of activity on the other side of the hedge, Lucas wondered if Marley was Riley's only friend.

"No, I haven't. But I'll ask the boys."

"She never leaves the yard," Riley fretted, following him around the house, where the boys had converted Aunt Emily's three–season room into their own private hangout.

Lucas pushed open the door and spotted Jake still camped out in front of the television, his gaze riveted on the racetrack he was navigating. "Where's James?"

Jake shrugged. "I don't know. He took off about ten minutes ago."

A stab of dread slid between Lucas' ribs even as he dismissed his suspicion. James wouldn't have gone somewhere with a dog that didn't belong to him. Especially Riley Matthew's dog!

"I can't find Marley. Have you seen her?" Riley's fingers twisted together at her waist.

"Nope." To Lucas' astonishment, Jake shut off the game. "But I'll help you look for her."

Riley's eyes widened. "Thank…you."

"Why don't you go home and see if she came back," Lucas suggested. "Jake and I will take a quick look around the block."

"All right." Riley caught her lower lip between her teeth and the troubled look in her eyes made Lucas breath hitch in his chest. He'd gotten used to those eyes shooting sparks at him…and seeing her lips press together in a tight seam after she brought yet another crime to his attention. But now she looked…approachable.

And suddenly way too attractive for his peace of mind.

Lucas groped for the door, knocked off center by the first spark of vulnerability he'd seen in her since they'd met. "Jake…why don't you take your bicycle—"

"I don't think that's necessary." Riley's voice had iced over.

And Lucas saw the reason why.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

James was walking up the driveway, as carefree as you please.

Accompanied by a very cheerful–looking Labrador retriever.

The grin on James' face faded when he saw everyone gathered together in the yard, waiting for him.

"You're in trouble!" Jake shouted to his brother.

Riley hurried to collect her dog. Marley danced around Riley's feet and barked, as if trying to explain things from her point of view.

Lucas caught up to them quickly, not wanting Riley to scold James before he had a chance to explain. Although Lucas couldn't come up with any explanation that wouldn't result in James being grounded for the rest of the week. Or the month. Or what remained of summer vacation.

"James, why did you take Marley out of Miss Matthew's yard?"

James' dirt–smudged face was the picture of innocence. "You told me to, Dad."

Riley turned to stare at him in disbelief and Lucas strove to keep his voice even.

" _James._ You know I didn't tell you to take Marley for a walk."

"Yes, you did." It was rare to see James' chin take on the stubborn tilt that reminded Lucas of his own childhood photos, but there it was.

Lucas' mind quickly connected the dots.

 _Love your neighbor._

And James had taken the lesson to heart.

"You and Jake go inside. I'll be there in a minute," he instructed quietly.

One furtive peek at Riley's expression and both boys sped toward the house. Lucas didn't say anything until the screen door snapped shut behind them.

"I don't know what that was all about, but I hope you make sure the punishment fits the crime." Riley's voice shook. "And please make it clear to your sons that they can't take Marley out of my yard. Or play with her. She's too old to keep up with…that level of activity."

Lucas took a breath, counted to ten and reminded himself the anger in Riley's voice stemmed from her fear that something had happened to Marley. "I'll talk to James. I know he should have asked you for permission."

"He took her without asking because he knew I _wouldn't_ give him permission," Riley retorted.

How much to tell her? Lucas had no idea where her heart was when it came to issues of faith. Would it explain his son's actions or offend her even more? He decided to risk it and tell her the truth. "I've been encouraging the boys to live out the verse in the Bible that tells us to love our neighbor. James decided that was how he'd show you. He knows you take Marley for a walk every day at ten and four. He must have seen you let her outside and realized you were too busy today. So he took her for you."

Riley's gaze shifted to a point over his shoulder. "I don't understand," she said stiffly.

"An act of love." Lucas didn't know how else to put it.

Riley stilled. Did he imagine the softening in her expression?

"Maybe…James…was trying to help," she finally conceded. "But the truth is…I don't like being disrupted. I rented the carriage house because I need peace and quiet to work. And to tell you the truth, I haven't gotten much of that this week."

"I understand." And Lucas did. All too well. There'd been a point in his own life when his world—and his perspective—had shrunk to the size of his Blackberry. Until Nicole died and he'd realized he barely knew the four–year–old boys that clung to him after the funeral. Silently asking him for things he had no idea how to give. And most days found him still trying to figure it out. But the difference was, now he wasn't alone anymore.

"I'll remind the boys that "love thy neighbor" translates to "leave thy neighbor alone." Lucas had meant to lighten the moment but he found himself talking to Riley's retreating figure.

 _Strike three, Lord. I think the Friar team is out._

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Riley couldn't concentrate. Not because it was too loud, but because it was too quiet.

She'd heard Lucas' pickup truck leave shortly after she walked Marley back home. For the first time Riley could remember, her faithful Labrador retriever had balked at the door, refusing to go inside. The longing look the dog cast toward the house on the other side of the hedge swamped Riley with an emotion that felt suspiciously like guilt.

But why should she feel guilty? James, Lucas' son, took Marley out of her yard without permission. So maybe the little boy had done it with good intentions, but Riley's heart still hadn't quite resumed its normal rhythm since she'd discovered Marley missing.

And what kind of excuse had Lucas given for his son's behavior? He'd been encouraging the boys to act out the command to love their neighbor? To love _her?_

Riley closed her laptop and took a restless lap around the living room decorated with an overflow of Emily's eclectic furnishings from the main house.

She winced as she remembered Lucas' parting comment. The humor that backlit his eyes told her he'd meant it as a joke, but Riley felt as though she'd been slapped. She wasn't sure why it was suddenly important that Lucas understand her need for solitude. And why she'd reacted so strongly when she discovered Marley missing. The truth was, Marley was more than a pet. She was the only thing left that connects Riley to Auggie, in a very real sense, the reason for her success as a children's author. Not to mention the only one in Riley's life who accepted her exactly the way she was!

"What's wrong with being focused?" Riley said out loud. "It doesn't mean I'm some kind of robot, does it?"

Marley's eyebrows wiggled in sympathy. _Not at all._

"So maybe I do order my day a certain way. I'd never get anything accomplished if I goofed off." Like a certain someone in faded blue jeans and scuffed tennis shoes. A certain _handsome_ someone. Who, from what evidence she could see, didn't even have a job. "And maybe we do go for a walk at ten and four. What's wrong with that?"

Right away Riley realized her mistake. Marley's ears twitched at the word _walk._

"All right. You can go outside for a few minutes." Riley gave in and opened the door.

And smelled smoke.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Without thinking, she sprinted through the garden and careened around the hedge. "Oh." Riley skidded to a stop as three heads turned in her direction. "I thought something was on fire." _Like maybe the neighborhood._

Lucas smiled at her. A warm smile of welcome that nudged her pulse from its comfortable, even weak into a carefree, giddy skip. ""We're going to roast marshmallows. Would you like to join us?"

He sounded sincere, but why would Lucas want her company after the uncomfortable incident that afternoon? Riley's gaze moved from Lucas to his sons, settled cross–legged on the ground by the portable fire pit. She expected to see resentment on their faces, but to her amazement, they smiled at her, too.

"I'll find a stick for you," Jake offered.

"I don't think—" Before Riley could finish the sentence, Marley bounded over to the twins, accepting the invitation on their behalf. The strange thing was, Riley found herself _wanting_ to join them around the campfire. Which made her want to turn tail and run back to the safety of her house….

"Please." Lucas' husky voice compelled her to agree. "We've got plenty to share."

"All right." She gave in, but didn't move.

Lucas' lips quirked. "The best way to roast a marshmallow is _over_ the fire."

Riley's shoulders stiffened as she searched his eyes. But Lucas wasn't criticizing her, he was _teasing_ her. Something unfurled inside her, making her feel curiously lighthearted.

As Riley settled onto the ground, her shoulder brushed against Lucas, coaxing the clean, masculine scent of his cologne into the air—a double hit to the senses. Speechless, she looked at Lucas and saw her startled look reflected in his eyes.

He'd felt it, too.

Riley started to rise to her feet, her mind scrambling to come up with an excuse to leave. She couldn't do this. Couldn't let her defenses down. Couldn't care about someone. Not again. She wasn't ready for it.

And she knew that she didn't deserve it.

Riley scrambled to come up with an excuse to leave. It was too dangerous to be in Lucas' company any longer. How had he slipped through her defenses so quickly? Ordinarily, when she retreated, people simply gave up and left her alone.

"Look, Miss Riley! Marley wants to play." James' delighted laugh momentarily thwarted her plans for escape.

"Marley doesn't like to play anymore. She's too old…" Riley's automatic response faded when she spotted the ragged baseball clamped between her dog's teeth.

"I think she disagrees." Lucas winked at her, and Riley felt it clear down to her toes.

Marley trotted over to James and dropped the ball at his feet. Apparently the two of them had bonded during their afternoon escapade. Riley wavered, reluctant to crush the hopeful look in both of their eyes.

"I won't make her tired," James promised, taking advantage of her indecision. "I'll just throw it a few times."

Riley gave a jerky nod, and the boys whooped in delight.

"Here. You can have this one." Jake handed her the stick and dashed away.

Riley looked helplessly at the charred blob on the end of the stick and then at Lucas, who was trying hard to keep a straight face.

"I'll take that one," he said. "Unless you _like_ your marshmallows well done."

"No." Still on edge, Riley's gaze slid away from him as she kept a watchful eye on Marley, who was chasing after the boys as if she were reliving her puppyhood.

"The boys have been begging for a dog for years," Lucas said, carefully threading a row of gooey marshmallows onto another skewer. "We lived in a condo, though. No pets allowed. The boys turn eight at the end of September—I put down a deposit on a pair of golden retriever puppies for their birthdays."

Two active boys. Two active puppies. Riley could only imagine the chaos. "You'll have your hands full."

Lucas shrugged easily. "It's good practice."

"Practice for what?" Riley asked before she could stop herself.

Lucas smiled. "Aunt Emily didn't tell you? I'm the new History teacher at Gage Middle School. I have to confess, though, this is my first year teaching. In my other life, I was the CEO of a corporation and lived in an office on the tenth floor."

Lucas kept his voice light, but Riley didn't miss the shadow that skimmed across his face. In his other life. Somehow she knew Lucas was referring to the time when his wife was alive, but why make such a drastic change? Austin to New Jersey? CEO to middle–school teacher?

"Did the company…downsize?" As soon as she asked, Riley chided herself for her blatant curiosity. For someone who placed a high value on privacy, she'd just crossed a line, but Lucas didn't seem to mind. In fact, he laughed softly.

"You mean, did I get fired? No. I quit. Someone I respect told me that some things are important and some things are urgent, and when you stop and look at them, they're usually not the same things. So you have to make a choice. For a long time, I made the wrong one."

"There's nothing wrong with doing something you love."

"No, there isn't," Lucas agreed. "But I _didn't_ love it. I took a career–interest test in high school, figured out what I was good at that would make the most money and went to college. Nicole, my wife, used to tell me, 'people before projects, Lucas,' but I blew it off as one of those nice little bumper sticker quotes. And then, one day…I realized I worked more than sixty hours a week to pay for a life I didn't take time to live. Crazy, huh?"

Riley swallowed hard. Crazy was discovering that Lucas' honesty had started to peel back the layers of insulation around her heart, threatening to leave it exposed.

She stumbled to her feet. "I should go."

"Whoa. Wait a second. Was it something I said?" He looked concerned.

"Those deadlines you mentioned." Riley forced a polite smile and saw the concern change to disappointment.

She steeled herself against it.

 _That's what happens when you get close to people, remember? You end up disappointing them._

Lucas watched Riley call her dog, and they disappeared into the shadows between the two houses.


	6. Chapter 6

**Hello lovely readers, my apologies for not being able to update sooner and to make up for it I will be posting two extra chapters. Hope you enjoy :)**

xXxXxXxXxXx

 **Chapter 6**

He silently kicked himself.

He hadn't intended to bore her— _scare her?_ —with his life story. She'd asked questions and he'd answered them. Honestly. He'd gone through too much over the past three years to care about dissembling. But Riley's reaction made him wonder what he'd said that struck a nerve.

 _She probably thinks you're crazy to give up a six–figure salary and a nice retirement package to teach middle–school kids._

Lucas heard a branch snap and knew he was under surveillance. Just as his sons barreled out of the shrubs, he twisted around and grabbed them. The twins' laughter echoed through the neighborhood as he lifted them up and spun them around.

This was the kind of crazy he could live with, but it wasn't for everyone. One of the first lessons Lucas had learned was that children forced a person to be flexible. They got sick. Their laughter broke the sound barrier. They forgot to mention a science project until the night before it was due. They somehow managed to get toothpaste on the ceiling. And when they wanted to talk, you had to be around to listen.

And he'd thought his _career_ had been challenging!

"Bedtime, you two." Lucas checked the slumbering coals one more time and herded them toward the house. His sons' protests turned into yawns halfway there and died altogether after they took turns in the shower.

James climbed into bed and pushed a handful of Hot Wheels under his pillow. "I think she had fun, Dad."

"Who had fun? Marley?" James was totally taken with Riley's Labrador retriever.

"Not Marley." James snickered. "Miss Riley."

Fun? That might be stretching it a bit, but the memory of Riley's cautious acceptance of their invitation came back to him. And so did the startled look in her eyes when they'd accidentally touched. If James hadn't distracted her, she would have bolted.

Lucas could relate.

He hadn't expected to be attracted to her. He hadn't expected to _like_ her.

Especially when she made no secret of the fact that James and Jake disrupted her routine—in duplicate. And from the frosty looks she'd bestowed on him since they'd met, she thought his parenting skills seriously lacking.

So why had she accepted their invitation to roast marshmallows?

 _Why did you ask her?_

Lucas scowled as a mischievous voice in his head turned the question around.

Because he was trying to set a good example for his sons, that's why. To practice what he preached, so to speak. He couldn't encourage the boys to love their neighbors if _he held a grudge against them._

And maybe because, in spite of Riley's talk about peace and quiet, he sensed she was…lonely. He'd felt it often enough to recognize the signs in someone else. _She's alone because she wants to be,_ Lucas reminded himself ruthlessly. Her quick exit had proven it. He'd given her an honest glimpse of his life—a huge decrease in the old paycheck, a fixer–upper in the country and two boys who could spend an entire day building something just so they could demolish it.

No doubt about it. He was the perfect match for a woman who never had a hair out of place and didn't like disruptions—

The air rushed out of Lucas' lungs.

 _Match?_

Not possible. Well–meaning friends had offered to set him up in the past and he'd turned them down. After Nicole's death, that part of his heart had gone dormant.

But he had to admit it. Somewhere, somehow, Riley Matthews had stirred those feelings back to life.

"Maybe we could take Miss Matthews fishing with us!" James' eyes brightened while Lucas tried to process the stunning realization that Riley Matthews had gotten under his skin. "And she could bring Marley."

Lucas remembered promising his sons a fishing trip to keep them away from Riley's pond. He'd found them searching for a net the day before and had a hunch they were itching to see their neighbor's koi…up close and personal.

"She's too girlie," Jake chimed in, not unkindly.

"She is not. She's just…clean." James folded his arms across his chest.

Lucas, a little unsettled by the knowledge that he wasn't the only one who wanted to spend more time in Riley's company, silently had to agree with Jake. It was hard to imagine Riley tramping through the underbrush to their favorite trout stream. Every time he saw Riley, she was dressed as if she were on her way to the boardroom. Another reason to question his wayward feelings for her.

"Night, guys." Lucas ended the debate by tugging the blankets over their heads. He could still hear them giggling as he closed the bedroom door and made his way down the stairs.

Deciding to check the fire one more time, he stepped outside. And almost tripped over a large object on the porch. A large, _yellow_ object. Marley.

"What are you doing here?" Lucas peered through the shadows to see if Riley was anywhere in sight. "You are going to be in big trouble if she finds you here." _And so will I._

Marley's tail thumped in agreement.

"Come on." Lucas sighed. "I'll take you home. But I expect you to do the explaining."

Marley followed him, the tags on her collar jingling. There was no sign of Riley, but he could hear the unmistakable sound of jazz music filtering through the window screen as he neared the house.

"Not classic piano?" He arched a brow at Marley.

She winked at him, as if to say, _yeah, who would have guessed it?_

Lucas knocked on the front door. No response. He followed the music to the back of the house and saw the screen door propped open by a small cement statue. At least now he knew how Marley had ended up on his porch. Lucas barely tapped on the door and it swung open. The music washed over him as he stood in the doorway, his gaze settling on a barefoot woman wearing loose, paint–spattered bib overalls over a raspberry pink tank top. She stood at her easel, her back to him.

Lucas took an awkward step backwards. "Sorry. I was looking for—"

 _Riley._

He gaped as the woman whirled around, paintbrush in hand. Lucas' gaze moved from the tousled brown hair to the dabs of green and blue paint on her straight little nose and then traveled down, pausing on the toe ring adorning one slender bare foot.

"Lucas? What are you doing here?"

It was Riley's voice.

But it was coming from a woman who didn't look _anything_ like Riley.

This was the second time Lucas had caught her completely off guard. Not only did Riley feel exposed, dressed the way she was, but she was afraid somehow he'd know she'd been thinking about him.

She'd fled his company earlier because it had been too dangerous to stay. His honest assessment of his life had only served to shine a light on the shadows of her past. She knew if she let it, Lucas' smile could work its way into the dark corners of her heart. And she was afraid of what he'd see there.

"Marley decided she'd pay us a visit." Lucas' gaze lingered a few extra seconds on her bare foot, and Riley's face heated as glanced down and saw what had captured his attention.

The toe ring. A moment of whimsy—a gift from Maya after her publisher had accepted the fifth book in her Marley and August series the summer before. She'd forgotten she was wearing it. Until now.

Riley lifted her chin. _Dignity, Riley._ "Thank you for bringing Marley home. If you and the boys were staying longer, I'd have to think about putting up a fence."

Even as she said the words, she winced inwardly at their harshness. But she couldn't take them back; they were her only defense against her conflicting emotions.

She needed Lucas to leave. She wanted him to stay longer. The things he'd shared about his life when they'd sat together by the campfire had only made her want to know more about him. Every time she was with him, it was getting harder to walk away.

"You have paint on your nose." Lucas grinned, scaling the walls around her heart as if he'd been training for it. "Can I see what you're working on?"

Riley anticipated his intent and mirrored his step to the side, blocking his view of the canvas. "It isn't done yet."

"And that means…" Lucas paused, waiting for her to fill in the gap.

She frowned. He still didn't understand. She'd spend hours on it until she was satisfied with the results. "I don't let anyone see my work until it's finished."

"Why?"

The simple question rattled her. "Because it isn't going to look…right. It may be completely different by the time I'm done."

"I'm not an art critic, Riles."

" _Riles?_ " She made a face as she repeated the shortened form of her name.

A meaningful look at her foot. "Riley just doesn't…fit at the moment. Sorry."

He didn't look sorry. And he didn't look as if he was going to leave until his curiosity was satisfied. She stepped to the side. "Go ahead."

The grudging words brought a smile to Lucas' face as he stepped around her.

"The flaws detract from the finished project, but the scene is going to be Marley's birthday party." She felt the need to point it out.

"What flaws?"

"The flaws in the painting."

"It'll all come together at the end. There may be some areas that need more attention, but I wouldn't call them flaws." Lucas flashed an easy smile. "A work in progress, I would say."

She'd never thought of it like that before. From her perspective, she'd always focused on the end result, the finished painting. Anything that slowed her down was an obstacle to overcome. She got impatient with what she saw as imperfections. Especially in herself. It was one of the reasons she pushed herself so hard.

"You're very talented." As if Lucas had read her mind, he took her hand and gave her fingers a gentle squeeze. "Thank you for sharing it with me. Now, I have to get back to the boys. I'm sure they're sound asleep, but—"

"They could be digging a tunnel underneath the house as we speak." Riley chuckled.

The response in Lucas' eyes wasn't laughter. Riley's throat closed. For one brief moment, she wanted to lean into his embrace and accept the promise there. But she couldn't.

"Please. Go." The words barely broke above a whisper.

"What is it?" Lucas searched her face. "What are you thinking?"

"I can't do…this."

"I don't understand. You can't spend time with me and get to know me better?"

He made it sound so simple. Riley turned away. "It's not just you, though, is it, Lucas?"

Silence. And then his answer came when the door closed softly behind him.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Over the next few days, Lucas did his best to respect Riley's wishes while trying to convince himself it was for the best they keep their distance. Their lives were too different. Riley, with her set schedules and need for solitude, simply wasn't compatible with a single dad raising a set of energetic seven–year–old twins.

 _I can't do this._

His last conversation with Riley, stuck in his head like a bad love song from the nineties, replayed in Lucas' mind as he made the boys breakfast. He knew he should be thankful for her honesty before his feelings got in the way of his common sense.

 _Right. Because you weren't stupid enough to cross that line._

But Lucas couldn't stop thinking about her. His brain kept downloading the image of her in the studio that night, barefoot and wearing baggy overalls, her perfectly styled hair in disarray and her face speckled with paint. He kept trying to match that Riley Matthews to the one who was always rigidly controlled. Someone who seemed to prefer the company of her dog to people.

After Nicole died and Lucas recommitted his life, he hadn't changed only his life by switching careers, his attitude had been restructured, too. He no longer viewed his sons as simply a part of his life—raising them well had become his major focus. He'd never entertained thoughts of remarrying, but if he ever did, the woman he fell in love with would share his commitment to family.

The night they'd roasted marshmallows together and Riley had allowed the boys to play with Marley, he'd thought her attitude had softened. And the sparks of electricity he felt weren't one–sided, either. But then, just a few hours later, she'd sucker punched him with the truth. The barriers preventing them from getting to know each other better were three and a half feet tall.

Riley was just removing the last tray of cookies from the oven when she heard little voices and a knock on the door.

"Miss Riley?"

When Riley opened the door, she was greeted with an astonished grin from identical faces. "Miss Riley, is it okay if we bring Marley for a walk?"

"We promise we will take good care of her." One of the boys, Jake she thinks glanced toward the small kitchen. "Are you baking cookies?"

His eagerness made refusal impossible…and if she's being honest, she really had a soft spot for kids. "Okay, you can walk Marley and play with her for a bit. Just make sure you don't tire her out. C'mon, you guys can have some cookies before you go."

Riley led them into the kitchen, where Marley was standing before the dog dishes, filled with food and water. On the counter were several crisp sugar cookies. "Here's a napkin. Help yourself."

Slowly munching on the cookie, James glanced around the room. "Your house is nice Miss Riley."

"Thank you. But I'm sure your Aunt Emily's house is nice too."

He grinned sheepishly. "I guess. There's just too many flowers." His eyes lingered on hers before taking another cookie. "Do you bake cookies a lot?"

"Maybe. You boys go along now and make sure you don't get into any trouble okay?"

"Kay, Miss Riley. Bye."

"Dad, we played with Marley and Miss Riley gave us cookies and they're really good."

"That's nice James, but make sure you don't go over at Miss Riley's all the time. She's busy and we wouldn't want to interrupt her work."

Lucas tried to ignore the disappointed sigh Jake heaved as he picked up his ball and muttered, "Whatever."

 _Whatever, indeed._ The last thing Lucas needed was another talk with Riley.

"Dad?" James scooted around to face Lucas. "You liked her, didn't you?"

A loaded question, for sure. "Yes, James, Miss Riley is very nice."

Lucas groaned internally. If he was brutally honest, she was more than nice. The few short moments he'd spent with her, she'd filled it with energy and life; and when she'd left, it was as if she'd taken something important with her. And against all logic, he couldn't stop picturing her twinkling brown eyes and thick, brown hair, her compact, nice body and her warm, affectionate way with her dog.

 _Yes, son, I liked her. And therein lies the problem._

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"I don't feel so good." James wilted against Lucas' leg, effectively yanking him back to the real world.

"He ate a bag of gummy worms." Jake, the roving reporter, was on assignment again, ready to give an update on his twin brother.

James did look pale. Lucas made use of the old standby thermometer—the palm of his hand—and flattened it against James' forehead. He didn't feel warm. "Lie down for a few minutes, James. I have a meeting at the bank in half an hour, and you both have to go with me."

It was the final meeting with the loan officer, and Lucas was anxious to get things wrapped up so he and the boys could move into their own home. His aunt Emily had told him they could stay as long as they needed to during the remodeling process, but it was getting harder every day for Lucas to keep the twins out of trouble and away from Marley. As if the yellow Lab and the boys had a secret pact, the three of them constantly gravitated to one another near the hedge that separated the houses.

"Dad!" James tugged on his arm. "Can I stay home? Jake can take care of me."

"You aren't old enough to stay alone."

"But I can dial 911." Jake's face was earnest. "I've done it before."

Lucas decided there were times when the old adage "ignorance is bliss" was appropriate. "The meeting shouldn't last more than an hour. James, finish your scrambled eggs and crash on the couch for a while. Jake, please pick up the yard before we leave."

With identical long–suffering looks, they disappeared.

When Lucas glanced out the window a few minutes later, he saw Jake playing with Marley in the yard. _Great._

He cranked open the window. "Jake? Send Marley home."

"Miss Riley said I could play with her," Jake called back.

Lucas sighed and went outside to deal with the situation so he didn't have to continue to shout through the screen. Marley bounded over to greet him, and Lucas rubbed the Lab's silky ears. "You know Marley isn't supposed to be over here, Jake."

"It's okay, Dad. I asked Miss Riley if she'd stay with us while you went to your meeting, and she said I could play with Marley until she got here."

"Let me get this straight." Lucas couldn't believe he'd heard his son correctly. "You asked Ril—Miss Riley if she'd babysit you while I'm gone?"

 _And she'd said yes?_

Riley didn't miss the undercurrent of disbelief in Lucas' voice, not that she blamed him. A thousand times over the past few days, she'd wished she could have a do–over of their last conversation.

But what would she say? How could she explain her feelings to Lucas when she couldn't understand them herself? Scared to death by the growing attraction between them, she'd needed an escape route. So she picked the one guaranteed to make Lucas walk away from her and not look back. Not only had she rejected his offer of friendship, she'd rejected his sons.

She just hadn't expected to miss them so much. All three of them.

There were times she was tempted to peek through the rose bushes, just to make sure they still lived next door. To add to Riley's guilt, Marley's forlorn gaze followed her everywhere, silently asking where her new friends were. It was obvious Lucas was doing his best to grant her the peace and quiet she'd demanded. His truck rattled out of the driveway early in the morning and didn't return until late afternoon. She no longer heard hammering. Or whistling. Or the low sound of voices around the campfire.

 _You got what you wanted…_

And it was driving her crazy. Maybe that was why, when Jake showed up, she'd practically pulled him into the house to find out what had brought him to her door.

"You don't have to do this, Riley. I realize you're working now." The warmth in Lucas' voice was genuine. "I can always reschedule the meeting."

"I don't mind. It's only for an hour." Riley realized she shouldn't have been surprised that he wasn't holding a grudge. He was the kind of man who lived his beliefs. It was one of the things that had drawn her to him in the first place.

The weighted look Lucas gave his son made her a little uneasy. Just what could the twins could accomplish in an hour? But it was too late to back out now. What stunned her was discovering she didn't want to.

"Thanks. I really appreciate this." He sounded a little bewildered by her offer to help.

To be honest, so was she.

Riley waited until the truck backed out of the driveway before walking up to the house to check on James.

"Wow. You did it!" James was constructing a fort out of the sofa cushions. He seemed to have made a miraculous recovery in the five minutes since his father had left for the meeting.

"Be quiet!" Jake leaped across the room and tackled his brother.

Riley watched them roll around on the floor for a few seconds before she put her fingers between her lips and split the air with a piercing whistle. The boys parted instantly, staring at her in awe.

"Can you teach us how to do that?" Jake asked.

"Maybe later, but first I want to know what's going on." Riley crossed her arms over her chest and waited.

"We miss Marley," James admitted. "And Dad won't let us visit you anymore."

"Yeah. He says you're too busy. But you should take a day off once in a while," Jake's eyes regarded her solemnly. "Dad used to work all the time, too, and he says he needs us to remind him to have fun."

"You can still have fun even when you're grown–up." James nodded sagely.

Riley choked back a laugh. The little schemers. They'd set the whole thing up! She wondered how Lucas would react when he found out.

"I don't know." She pretended to consider. "I haven't had fun for a long time…"

Jake elbowed his brother. "See. I told you," he muttered.

"What would you suggest we do for an hour?" Riley tried not to chuckle.

"Let's go to your house!"

"My house?" Riley looked at the sofa cushions scattered on the floor and the plastic racetrack that wound around the entire living room. "I don't think there's much to do over there."

"We can find something. Can't we, James?"

James' smile assured her that they could.

That's what Riley was afraid of.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Lucas glanced at his watch and felt his blood pressure kick into overdrive. He'd promised Riley he'd be back in an hour. Thanks to a computer glitch, he'd been tied up at the bank for almost three hours. He'd tried to call the house several times but couldn't get an answer.

Worry gnawed at him, and Lucas wasn't the worrying kind.

Had James gotten worse? He'd complained of a stomachache, which was why Riley was keeping an eye on the boys while he kept his appointment. Lucas still hadn't gotten over that, and he wasn't sure what shocked him more—that his seven–year–old son had boldly gone to Riley's house and asked her to stay with them, or that Riley had agreed!

Especially after she'd flatly refused to get to know him better. Lucas was still picking up pieces of his pride after _that_ conversation. She'd made it clear she didn't have room in her life for anything but her career.

But there'd been times she'd lowered her defenses. Let him catch a glimpse of a woman who could laugh. Someone oblivious to paint on her nose. Who listened to jazz. Someone who'd resurrected feelings he'd thought were buried forever.

If he hadn't seen that side of Riley Matthews, it wouldn't have been so difficult to respect her wishes and give her the solitude she said she wanted. But he had. It convinced Lucas even more that something was pushing Riley—and it wasn't a deadline.

Lucas had decided that if she needed a friend, he'd be there. If she ever spoke to him again.

Riley planned her day around a disciplined, orderly schedule. His meeting had inched past lunchtime and was chewing out a large chunk of the afternoon. She was probably going crazy…

Lucas launched himself out of the truck, practicing his apology on his way to the house.

It was empty. No sign of James or Jake. Or Riley. He looked for a note on the chalkboard by the refrigerator, but the only thing written on it was a reminder to pick up a jar of peanut butter.

He crossed the yard and heard music filtering through the thick hedge of rosebushes that formed a barrier between their houses. Jazz. And laughter. Feminine laughter.

Lucas followed it to its source and found the door to Riley's studio wide open. And what he saw inside stripped him of his ability to speak.

Apparently James had made a speedy recovery. He and Jake stood side by side in front of a portable easel, armed with paintbrushes and slapping blotches of color on a large canvas. Riley hovered close by, her slim figure shrouded in a denim apron and her hair tied back with a colorful silk scarf. As she instructed them, her paintbrush swept the air, directing the boys like a maestro's baton.

"Dad!" Jake spotted him and rushed over, leaving a trail of green paint drips on the floor.

"Hi, Dad." James turned and grinned. "How do you like our picture?"

"It's great." He forced his gaze away from Riley to admire the boys' work.

"We're painting Marley," Jake said, pointing to the Labrador retriever dozing on the rug.

Lucas glanced at Riley but she refused to meet his eyes.

"I'm sorry I'm late." Lucas said softly. "I'll take them home so you can get some work done. Do you want us to help you clean up?"

"That's not—"

"Riley. What on earth is going on?" An elderly couple stood framed in the doorway, but it was the woman who'd spoken, her lips pursed in distaste as her gaze swept over them.

"Mom." Riley's paintbrush clattered to the floor. "What are you doing here?"

"Your mother and I came to take you out for your birthday." The man's gaze dipped to James and Jake and lingered pointedly on Lucas. "Unless you have other plans?"

James and Jake crowded closer to Lucas, sensing the chill in the air.

Lucas saw Riley force a smile. "Of course not."

She looked as if she were about to shatter. Lucas touched her arm and she flinched. For a second, he saw the panic swirling in her eyes. And something else. Something that looked a lot like fear.

As hard as Lucas tried, he couldn't forget the five minutes that followed the Matthews' unexpected arrival. Riley had made the correct introductions, her emotions smoothly covered by a polite mask.

The words her mother and father spoke out loud were different from the ones Lucas read between the lines.

"Riley, aren't you supposed to be working?"

 _Why are you letting these people disrupt your schedule?_

"Is that your latest piece? It's not finished yet, is it?"

 _You can do better than this._

"We'll wait in the living room while you freshen up and change clothes."

 _You don't want to be seen in public like that._

"Oh my—" a meaningful sniff "—I can tell you haven't taken that dog to the groomer recently."

Now Lucas knew why Riley preferred solitude. It was all he could do not to take her hand and run for cover.

Even the boys were subdued as they walked back to the house. James confessed to faking the stomachache; Jake confessed it was his idea. At Lucas' prompting, they told him Riley had made peanut butter pancakes for lunch and that she let them have strawberry banana smoothies instead of milk, and she gave them chocolate chips cookies that she baked herself for dessert. She'd dabbed paint on both their noses and told them now they were "real" artists.

"I don't think Miss Riley is going to have a fun birthday." James made the gloomy prediction as he scrubbed off the paint on his hands at the kitchen sink.

"Not with _them._ " Jake rolled his eyes. "They probably didn't even get her a cake."

Lucas silently agreed. He tried to imagine growing up in a household where words were delivered with the same sharp, dispassionate edge as a scalpel but left deep cuts on the soul.

"And I bet they're not going out for pizza." Pizza happened to be Jake's favorite birthday dinner.

Lucas had an idea. "I think we can at least make sure she gets pizza and a cake. Are you guys in?"

James and Jake slapped their hands together in a sudsy high five.

"Okay." Lucas winked at his sons. "Let's see if we can find where Aunt Emily keeps the key to the carriage house."

…

Riley's parents dropped her off, and she stumbled up the cobblestone walkway. Her parents never came for a visit; they came for an inspection. She'd spent the last two hours explaining why she hadn't finished the manuscript due at the end of the week.

During the course of the meal, her mother kept rerouting the conversation, bringing it back to Lucas and the boys. Why couldn't Lucas have asked someone else to watch his sons? Where was their mother? A widower with two little boys? Riley had to be careful or he'd be asking her to watch them all the time and she'd never get anything done.

Because that's what people did. They took advantage of you and left you to face the consequences. Had she forgotten?

It had been her parents' mantra, but Riley knew Lucas didn't buy into that cynical outlook on life. He spoke so easily about his faith. She can't even remember when was the last time she nor her parents had gone to church. Actually, she does remember. It was over ten years ago.

Riley paused and cast a longing look at the lights still on in Emily's house. What was Lucas doing? Were the boys asleep? The temptation to knock on the door rushed through her. When he'd touched her arm and looked into her eyes, she was afraid he'd read her thoughts.

And knew what a complete coward she was. It was best to go home. Alone.

"Marley?" Riley's eyes adjusted to the dim glow in the room.

Marley's toenails clicked against the floor as she padded up to her. But when Riley reached down to scratch the dog's ear, her fingers brushed against something peculiar. "What…?" She fumbled for the wall switch and flipped it on.

Marley barked, proudly displaying the colorful, cone–shaped birthday hat on her head.

"Surprise!" James and Jake burst into the room.

Lucas was right behind them. Carrying a birthday cake.

Riley couldn't help it. She burst into tears.

"Hey." Lucas set the cake down on the counter and gathered Riley into his arms, aware of James and Jake's shocked expressions. "Not the response we were hoping for."

Riley's shoulders shook. Lucas hoped it was a muffled laugh and not the kick start of another bout of tears or else they'd take the record for the shortest birthday celebration in history.

"We've got pizza." Jake's tone conveyed his belief there was nothing that pepperoni couldn't cure.

Riley shifted, and Lucas let her go. Reluctantly. She fit into his arms as if she belonged there.

"I wasn't…you didn't have to do this." Riley blotted the moisture on her cheeks with her fingertips.

"You wouldn't have had a good birthday if we didn't," James said with a shrug.

Riley choked on a laugh. "You're right about that."

Her response to their surprise gave Lucas the encouragement he needed. And the tears had washed away the haunted look in her eyes. He retrieved the gaudy tiara he'd found while shopping for party decorations with the boys. "You have to wear this since you're the birthday girl."

"It's been a while since I had a birthday party," Riley ventured.

The boys exchanged horrified looks, and Lucas linked his arm through hers. "It's never too late. Let the Friar men show you how it's done."

Guessing that Riley's birthday dinner had taken place in the quiet, dignified setting of the country club, Lucas deliberately tried to put some fun into the rest of the evening. After they ate pizza, he coaxed her into playing old–fashioned party games like pin the tail on the donkey and musical chairs. Jake and James put up a mild fuss, insisting they were too old for those games, but gave in when Lucas pointed out that someone needed to teach Riley the rules.

When yawns began to punctuate the boys' speech, Lucas organized a quick cleanup before they left. He thought he saw a flicker of disappointment in Riley's eyes as they got ready to leave.

"I thought I'd make a fire after the boys go to bed." Lucas wanted to draw out the evening and spend more time with her. "Care to join me?"

A shadow skimmed across her face. "I don't…think that's a good idea."

Lucas wanted to argue with her about that. She'd laughed with the boys, and he'd felt the tentative touch of her hand on his as they'd sat together on the sofa and watched Marley wrestle with James. She enjoyed their company—he could see it in her eyes.

So what was holding her back?


	9. Chapter 9

**Ch** **apter 9**

An hour later, when Lucas came outside to pick up some of the toys the boys had forgotten to put away, he saw smoke curling into the air. And found Riley sitting cross–legged on the ground beside a blazing campfire. He stood in the glow of the firelight, waiting for her to invite him to join her. She didn't.

 _God, how much rejection is a guy supposed to take?_

Riley stared into the fire. "I came out to say thank you for the party. I'm—I'm going away for a few days."

Lucas dropped to the ground beside her. "The boys and I can move into the house this weekend. I'm sorry having us so close has been hard on your work schedule—"

"It's not the boys. Or you." Riley interrupted. "It's _me._ I'm the kind of person who does better on her own. That way I can't…"

Lucas reached out and took her hand. Was she running away from him? Or from herself? "Can't what?"

Riley was silent so long, he didn't think she was going to answer him. "Disappoint anyone."

Lucas thought about her parents' litany of criticisms and exhaled quietly. "I'll tell you what I see in you, Riley. A woman who is dedicated to her career, but bends her schedule to have tea with a lonely woman next door. Someone who shares her best friend with two little boys who feed grilled–cheese sandwiches to her fish. Someone who's creative. Disciplined. Someone who writes stories for children because she understands them."

Riley tried to pull her hand away, but Lucas kept it anchored in his own. "You don't know the truth." Her eyes were dark when she looked at him. "I gave up my chance for a—a family."

Lucas' eyes reflected his confusion. "When?"

"When I killed my brother."

Lucas had backed Riley into a corner, leaving her with no weapon except the truth. Maybe it was the only thing that would convince him she wasn't the person he thought she was.

She'd never told anyone her secret. Only her parents and her best friend Maya knew that she's the reason why Auggie died. She was only seventeen and Auggie was twelve at the time. She desperately wanted to attend a party but promised her parents that she would stay home and help Auggie with his school project but Auggie being the sweet brother that he was convinced Riley to go to the party and be with her friends. She didn't want to leave Auggie alone at home so she asked him to go with her. On the way to the party, a drunk driver hit their car. Auggie died that night.

"So now you understand." Riley kept her voice controlled, waiting for Lucas to stand up and walk away. Now he knew. She wasn't the type of woman he'd be interested in pursuing a relationship with.

Lucas didn't move. Maybe he _didn't_ understand. "My brother would still be alive if I didn't go to that party. He was only twelve and I killed him."

"Riley." Lucas murmured her name and instantly tears banked behind her eyes; Riley refused to let them fall. She didn't want him to feel sorry for her. She wanted him to understand that she'd made a choice and now she had to live with it.

"My parents were devastated. Both my parents buried themselves with work. They were hard working people but after Auggie died they literally lived for their careers. And because I became an only child their expectations of me became higher. It was easier to do what they wanted. I feel so…guilty. I went to the college they'd picked out. My mother is a lawyer and my dad is a professor, and they'd been grooming me to eventually become a doctor. My senior year of college, I heard them talking about giving Marley away." Riley paused, the memories crowding out everything else.

"Marley?" Lucas prompted.

Riley nodded and the comforting press of his fingers on her hand gave her the courage to finish the story. "Marley was Auggie's dog. I was graduating in a few weeks and I just knew she belonged to me. I asked my parents to keep her until I was done with school, but they said we had to give her away. They wouldn't keep her and neither could I. I was supposed to move back home and start looking for a good school for pre-med, but something inside me just…broke. I kept Marley and moved into an apartment. Mom and Dad said they wouldn't support me if I kept making such poor decisions, but at that point, I didn't care."

She could see the tiny studio apartment again, the furnishings compliments of a secondhand store. Marley had been her comfort during that time—the dog's playful antics had been the only thing that brightened her day. "I worked at a coffee shop to pay the bills, but I did some charcoal sketches of Marley and showed them to a school friend. I'd sketched and painted for fun, but I'd thought if I had had any real talent, my parents would have encouraged me. That friend suggested I come up with a story idea to go with the drawings, and used his family's connections to get an editor to look at my work, and they loved it." A smile touched her lips at the memory of the phone call that changed her future.

"I try to reach out to my parents, but it's still…hard. I'm not the daughter they'd hoped for. They visit a few times a year, but I don't think they've ever really forgiven me for killing Auggie."

It didn't seem to matter how successful she'd become as a children's book author. Throughout dinner, she'd heard subtle references to their retirement. Reminders that she'd failed them. That she could have been so much more.

The crackle of the fire was the only sound between her and Lucas. Riley tried to withdraw her hand again and this time he let her go. Pain stripped the breath from her lungs. She knew what was coming. But she hadn't expected it to hurt so much.

Riley tugged her hand away, and Lucas let her go, sensing her need for space. From the expression on her face, it was clear she didn't share this story often. Maybe she hadn't ever shared it with anyone. She'd told him the truth about her past to scare him away, but for the first time he saw a glimmer of light on the path to the future. Their future.

Lucas asked God to help him find the right words.

"I think you're an…extraordinary woman."

Riley turned away, but not before he caught the sparks of anger in her eyes. "Didn't you hear anything I said?"

"I heard _everything_ you said." _And everything you didn't._ "And I think it took incredible strength to break away from your parents and start to live your own life. God gave you an incredible gift and He wouldn't want you to ignore it."

"Strength?" Riley repeated the word bitterly. "If I was strong, I would have ignored my desire to go to that stupid party. My brother would still be alive."

And she'd been paying penance ever since with her self–imposed exile. Banished by guilt.

"You were a teenager," Lucas could only imagine how alone Riley had felt during that time. That her parent's emotional abandonment added to the fear and confusion. "You can't punish yourself for that decision for the rest of your life. You can't be afraid to let people in." He remembered what that had been like. If it hadn't been for the members of Nicole's church, who refused to let him isolate himself, he might have done the same thing.

"After Nicole died, I couldn't escape the guilt, either. I thought I had failed as a husband and a father. I got so caught up in my career that my wife and sons simply became part of the image. Their picture on my desk was an icebreaker when I met a new client, not a reminder of how blessed I was. There was no way I could make it up to Nicole and it ripped me up inside. If it hadn't been for the boys—and my faith—I wouldn't have been able to move forward."

"You're a great dad." The sincerity—and something else—in her voice made Lucas' pulse jump. Maybe he was getting through to her.

"Even when I provide the boys with instructions on how to make a catapult?" He smiled at her change in her expression.

"That was _your_ idea?"

"I didn't know they'd test it in your pond. It may not have been the best of introductions, but I'm not complaining."

The peach glow rising in Riley's cheeks wasn't from the warmth of the fire. "Lucas…" She swallowed hard. "I don't know why you're still here. Why haven't you run as far away as you can?"

 _Because that's what everyone else did when you put up your defenses._

"I meant it when I said I wanted to get to know you better. To spend more time with you."

"But after what I told you—"

"I mean it even more."

Riley lifted her hand and she tentatively traced the curve of his jaw. Then she leaned forward and the soft pressure of her lips against his drove away every coherent thought. Before he could react, she rose to her feet and started to walk away.

Lucas found his voice right before she disappeared into the shadows. "What was that for? Thank you? Good night? Goodbye? Good luck?"

Riley's laugh stirred the evening air. And his hopes.

Until the next morning…when he found out she was gone.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

"Are you just going to sit there all day?" Maya questioned Riley.

"Maybe," Riley muttered.

Maya had known Riley forever and she knows that her best friend won't openly tell her what happened unless she coax it out of her. "Sooo…how are the boys?"

"I don't know," Riley said, indicating Maya to sit beside her.

"You're missing them," Maya said, nodding at Riley and groping for something intelligent or at least coherent to say. Maya was rarely at a loss for words, but something about the way Riley look at the moment rendered her speechless.

"Maya, what should I do?"

"Well, " Maya took a deep breath then plunged in. "What do you want to do? C'mon peaches, tell me what is it that you want to do right now?"

"The truth?" Riley answered, "I want to be free. I'm tired of feeling sad and lonely. I want to be with Lucas, James and Jake. I want to be part of their family."

Maya glanced up, startled by Riley's pained tone. "Then be with them. Stop punishing yourself. You didn't kill Auggie. It was an accident. It's been years Riley. It's time to move on. Auggie would want you to move on and be happy."

Maya found herself gripping Riley's hand, her heart aching for her friend. "Stay here with me for a couple of days, we'll go shopping and do girly stuff and then you decide what you want to do next. But Riles, it's time. Be free."

XxxxxxxxX

Riley parked her car at the end of the driveway and checked the address on the slip of paper taped to the dashboard. Under ordinary circumstances, the charming two–story farmhouse with its wraparound porch and cheerful green trim would have lifted her spirits. But, she reminded herself, these weren't ordinary circumstances.

Marley's breath fogged up the window and she cast Riley an impatient look. _This is it. Let's go!_

"Easy for you to say." Riley's nerveless fingers fumbled with her seat belt. "At least you know that _you're_ going to get a warm welcome."

She wished she knew what kind of welcome _she_ was going to receive. The last time she'd seen Lucas, he'd listened while she poured out her heart about her past failures and her fears and then he'd put something back into it. Hope. But he didn't know that because she'd left the next morning.

It had taken two weeks for Riley to sort through the tangled emotions their conversation had created. She just wish that Lucas hadn't reached the statute of limitations on forgiveness. Emily Friar, Lucas' aunt, insisted he hadn't. In fact, when Riley had gathered the courage to knock on Emily's door, her irrepressible landlady had told her not to wait until morning to talk to him.

Now Riley was rethinking her impulsive decision to take Emily's advice. But she had some things to tell Lucas and she wasn't going to run away or hide anymore. Even if he rejected _her_ this time.

As soon as Riley opened the door, Marley jumped down and trotted up the driveway as if she'd been there a hundred times.

Riley scanned the spacious yard as she followed the retriever. The only signs of life were the bicycles abandoned on the grass, an assortment of sports equipment and the wooden shell of something resembling the framework of a pirate ship.

Her lips curved into a smile. Lucas encouraged his sons to be curious. He didn't mind if they laughed too loud or whistled off–key. He wanted them to _live._ She doubted he knew that in the short time they'd known each other, he'd challenged her to do the same thing.

Marley's nose was even with the ground as she followed an invisible path through the grass. Riley had to jog to keep up with her. "Marley, wait!"

Marley rounded the corner of the house and disappeared. Seconds later, Riley found the dog dividing sloppy kisses between James and Jake's identical faces. When they saw her, they rushed into her waiting arms and she gave them a fierce hug. She couldn't believe how quickly they'd worked their way into her heart. Just like their father.

"Where's your…dad?"

"He's in the barn." James pointed to a weathered building a hundred yards away, and Jake grabbed hold of her hand and began to tow her in that direction. She didn't argue.

Lucas had met her more than halfway. It was her turn to take a step forward.

 _God, please help me find the right words to say._

That she could talk to God so easily was another gift Lucas had given her. His words that night had fanned the tiny embers of her own faith into flames. And who would have known that turning to Him would burn away the guilt she'd struggled with for so many years?

"Dad's almost done," Jake said. "You're going to like it."

Riley didn't have time to question him because the boys suddenly streaked ahead of her. "Dad, Dad! Riley is here!"

Riley drew in a breath and walked into the barn. She'd expected it to be full of dust and shadows, but it wasn't. It was clean and airy. Skylights in the roof flooded the building with sunshine.

Her eyes locked with Lucas' and she saw the smile on his face. It went straight to her heart, and Riley didn't wait for him to take a step forward. She closed the distance between them. And ended up in his arms.

"I thought this would make a good office and studio," he murmured in her ear. "Is there enough light?"

"A studio?" Riley looked around in wonder. "But…how did you know?"

"I didn't." Lucas tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and smiled down at her. "But I hoped. Hope is always a good place to start, don't you think?"

Riley smiled.

It was a very good place to start.

 **The End**


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